Electrical contact for articulated vehicles



y 1935. A. w. MOLlNARE 2,001,393

ELECTRICAL CONTACT FOR ARTICULATED VEHICLES Original Filed Oct. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 14, 1935. A. W. MOLINARE 2,001,393

ELECTRICAL CONTACT FOR ARTICULATED VEHICLES Original Filed Oct. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z (J/Mia! t. & I d j 14%;???

II T" IIIIMI I llll iH Patented May 14, 1935 UN ED STAT ELECTRICAL CONTACT FOR ,ARTiCULATED Anthony W. Molinare, ForestPark, Ill., assign'or L to Highway Trailer Company, Edgerton, Wis e a corporation of Wisconsin 3 y Original appueation ctober28, 1931, Serial, N01" 571,524. Divided and this application October '30, 1933, SerialNo. 695,838 f. -5 Claims. (oiYz sc-eailfi This'invention pertains to articulated vehicle units, such as a tractor andsemi-trailer, adapted to be coupled together for joint operation. More particularly, this invention is concerned with the provisionof electricalv circuit connections associated with the coupling members of the vehicle units for supplying electrical current from one of said vehicle units to the Iother, such as from the tractor to'the trailer.'l tions 'of this character may, be employed for operating various devices on the trailer, under remote control from the tractor, such aselectrical brakes, tempcrary supports, tail-lights, signal lightaflorany other electrically operated mechanism located on the trailer.

[, 'The main object of my invention is to provide improved and simplified electrical circuit connections between the articulated vehicle units for coupling one or more electrical circuits, with the connections so arranged as to maintain electrical contact throughout thenormal range of angular adjustment of, the vehicle units.

Another object is to provide electrical circuit connections with cooperating parts on the coupling members carried by the respective vehicle units, adapted to be automatically engaged or disengagedin response to the relative movement of the tractor and trailer into and out of coupling relation.

A further'object of this invention resides in the. novel construction and arrangement of the cooperating parts of the electrical circuit convnections which are disposed remote from the axis of articulation and laterally beyond the entire area of bearing contact of the coupling members. The invention consists in certain features and elements of construction, and novel arrangement thereof, asxherein shownand described, and as indicated by the claims,

' In the drawingszf, V I Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation-oi the forward end'of 'asemi-trailer and the rearward. endof thetractor, provided with coupling members: having electrical circuit connections embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of the lower fifth wheel member on the tractor; I Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal section through the -coupling members, taken at lines dined- 4 on Figure 3;

figured is-a face view of the electric circuit 33 on Figure l, and showing the-arrangement Electrical circuit connec+ connections fcarrled on the -upper fifth wheel m ber of the trailer; andtaken indicated at the line-j5 .-5 gin-Figure 4; 1

' Figure 6 is a fragment perspective View of the electrical contact'carrier block-mounted ion f the front end of theupp'erfifth'wheel inember 'on thetrailehl "1" 1 The presentapplicati'on is a divisionof my cofpending application Serial No; 571,524, filedOc-to' ber28; 193 1. r 1

The present invention eliminates certain dis advantages-inherent in electrical circuit connections' now generally employed for tractor and trailer use. ,Suchj'connections usually include flexible cables 'on the respective vehicle units, and the ends of these calolesfare" provided-with cooperatin detachable plug; members which must be manually connectedand disconnected," Tractor and trailer units ,when in use, necessarily move relatively to each other'through substantial angles, and frequently the plug members become sepa rated due to' snagging of the' cables Onpar tsof thetractor or trailer units. Also if, the operator inadvertentlyfail's to disconnect the plug members when uncoupling the tractor from the trailer,

the plug members are apttofbe injured and the cables aregfrequently damaged, and sometimes severe'dj.'f j 'l Referring 'now in detail to the drawings: The

fragmentaryportion; of the tractor, indicated at wheel member, 8, fixedly mounted on the'tractor frame, 9. The upper fifth wheelmember,v l, is mounted for rocking; fore-and aft about a horizontal transverse axis indicated at is, and it may be understood thatthisflupper iifth wheel memher is so designedthat' itno rmally te'nds to' tilt upwardly at the forwardjendifina directionso as to facilitate skiddingup the inclined portion, 8 of the fixed', lower fifth wheel member onth'e tractor ,when tlie' latter is backed underneath the trailer preparatory to coupling 'of the vehicle unit s.',"'1t mayfbe understood that these fifth wheel'members are of conventional design, and if desired the. fifth 'wheefmembersmay be of reverse relation,that is,"'the upperfifth wheel member may be fixed on the trailer frame, and I the lower' fifth wheel member rockably mounted on the tractor, as long as the construction is such Mimi?ihws is e' 'a mq m- 30 5, is shownin coupled and supporting'relation: to the forward end yof'a semhtrail'er whose main operating features on the respective fifth *wh'eel members which are brought intoengagement for automatically completing oneflormore electrical circuits between the tractor; andtrailer ,units,

' when the fifthwheel members are brought into coupled relation. The electrical circuits are likewise broken when the fiftli'wheel' members are moved relatively to each other inthe act of coupling the tractor and trailer. Theelectrical connections, as may be seen in the drawings, are,

for practical purposes and ease in operation, 10- catedremote from the axis of articulation of the fifth wheel members, and includea supporting block, llL-of insulating material rigidly mounted on an upstanding fiange,l I of a bracket member, I2, secured to the forwardend oftheupper fifth wheel member, I, as seen in Figure 4 ofthe drawings 'The outer faceof the insulating ,block, -I 0, is formed with two sets of vertically spaced transe versely extending lugs or shelves, 'Ill}, providing guideways in which are slidably mounted contact blocks, L3. Rigidly secured to each block is a bracketgl l, carrying a contact roller, 15, and said blocks and rollers are arranged in spaced-apart vertical alignment, as seen in thedrawings. Each of the blocks, I3, is connected to the supporting block, ID, by a pair of transversely spaced bolts,

I1, and coil springs, I 8,'encomp ass said boltsand are seated in recesses formed in opposing surfacesof the blocks lfl and l 3,.for yieldingly urging the blocks, I3, with their contact rollers, I5, away from the supporting block, l0. .By' this arrangement the bolts serve to .limit the amount of movement of said blocks, I0 and I3. I

The electrical conductor. wires on thetrailer which extend from thedevice which is operated preferably by remote control from the tractor, are enclosed a' flexible sheath indicated at m, the forward end of which extends above the upper ,fifth wheel member, and is (rigidly anchored in' the upstanding leg, 'I l 'ofthe bracket, I2, on said upper fifth wheelfmembe'r, as seen in Figure 4 of thedrawings. These conductors, which are indicated at ma ic? and 171, extend beyond the point of anchoring of the flexible sheath, through the-insulating" block, I0, where'they are connected to the respective contact rollers, I5.

Mounted on the lower fifth wheel member; 8, on. the tractor, for cooperative engagement with the contact rollers, I5, are three vertically spaced arcuate metallic conductor. stripsgzo, rigidly see cured to, an insulating block, 2I, W ihfpreferably, is also of arcuate formation. Q Said mounting block, 20, is rigidlysecured in an arcuately formed auxiliarybracket, 22,which preferably is a cast member, and whichv encompasses 'theperiphery of the forward portion 'of the lower'fifth wheel member, 8',- to which it is fastened by-machin'escrews, 23, asseen in Figure 4. Connectedto the respectivecontact strips, 20, asseen in thedrawings, are thecorresponding portions of the conductor wires, m P and d: ,which'complete the. electrical circuit'between the tractorand trailer,

to a' power supply sou'rcebn the tractor or trailer.

The current through said conductor wires may be'controlled 'by a; switch, indicated generally 7 2,001,393 selves to road-bed irregularities, while providing at A, located on the tractor. The conductor wires extending from the lower fifth wheel member on the tractor are also encased in a flexible sheath, at, the end of which is rigidly secured in a boss on the .auxiliarybracket, 22, as seen in Figure, 4, It may be understood that the arcuate contact strips, 20, and supports therefor extend approximately 90 degrees on each side of the longitudinal center, so as to ensure maintaining electrical-contact between the vehicle units throughout the normal range of articulation of said units; It will now be seen that the springs,

"I8, whichnormally urge the blocks, I3 with their ,contact rollers, I5, outwardly with respect to the supporting block, .Il ensures maintaining said r'ollers'inyielding engagement with the contact strips, 20, on the lower fifth wheel member, when the fifth wheel members are in coupled relation.

The upper edge of the supporting bracket, 22, on the lower fifth wheel member is formed with a horizontally extending arcuate flange, 22 positioned'to overliethe electrical contacts carried on thenp'per fifth wheel' member, on the. trailer,

throughout the entire range of articulation of thevehicles, and thus serves to protect said contacts against the natural elements and also shield them from dust, dirt' and'foreign matter. To protect the contact elements on they upper fifth wheel member against possible injury incident'to coupling or uncoupling movements of the fifth wheel members relatively to each other, the upper fifth wheel member is preferably'formed with an extension '01- shoe indicated at l disposed sub stantially in alignment with and below the contact rollers, l5, and their supporting structure. Whenjc'oupling the vehicles, the shoe will come into contact with the surface of the lower fifth wheelmember .as said fifth wheelmembers are being moved relativelyjto each other into coupling position, and thus preventany possible chance of damaging the contact rollers, I5- It will be man ifest that the contact rollers, I5', and the strips, 20, on the lower fifthwheel member on the tractor will freely separate and cause breaking of the respective electric cricuits' when the fifth wheel members are separated in the uncouplin of the vehicle units.

" It will be apparent that the automatic circuitconnections above described may be employed for controlling from one vehicle the operation of electrically' actuated devices of various character locatediion theo'ther vehicle.' For example, the

operation of the trailer'brak es of the temporary supports'tail-lights, signal lights on the trailer, or any'other mechanism which it is desired to locate on the trailer, :may be controlledfrom the tractor cab. v

Asshown in Figure 20f the drawings, the lower fifth wheel member is of more or less conventional design. The main supporting surface, 8 is formed ;with afrearwardly open 'V-shaped gap,

8f, the apex of which terminates to form a bearing 'for a headed king pin of conventional'design (not'shown), andwhich is carried'on the up ,fifthfwheelfmember onthe trailer. Itwill be understood that the bearing structure of the lower fifth wheel member is undercut, as indicated at '8 in a usualimanner to accommodate the head of: the king pin, and thus prevent vertical separation of the fifth wheel members, when they are coupled together.

V Mounted on the under side ofv the lower fifth wheel member-is a'pair ofpivoted jaws, 25, which are adapted to yield in one direction to permit entry of theking pin into thebearing portion of the lower fifth wheel member. The links, 26, and bell crank levers, 21, under the control the tension spring, 29, normally cause the jaws, 25, to snap back into locking position when released. The parts are so designed that when the king pin engages the jaws, contact therewith causes them to swing open for entering the bearing of the lower fifth wheel member and there be automatically locked in place by said jaws as the fifth wheel members are brought into coupled relation.

The free ends of the bell crank levers, 21, are connected to a control member, 30, to which is connected a member, 3|, which extends into the cab of the tractor and is connected to an operating lever, 32, pivoted to the tractor frame, and

' this lever may be conveniently manipulated at will for releasing the jaws, 25, thereby freeing the king pin so as to permit separation of the fifth wheel members for uncoupling of the vehicle units.

By locating the electrical contact-members laterally beyond the area of bearing contact of the fifth wheel members, safety of the contact elements is ensured against possible damage due to the coupling action of the vehicle units, and the contacts are prevented from being short-circuited by grease, grit, etc., which is'normally present between the supporting areas of the fifth wheel members. By virtue of the arrangement herein shown and described, the contact members are never in contact with, or in close proximity to, the lubricated surface of the fifth wheel members. Furthermore, there is no possibility of theelectrical contacts being short-circuited by moisture, such as results from rain or snow, as they are at all times enclosed; this also avoids possibility of injury to the unwary operator.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is manifest that it is capable of modification and re-arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular construction herein shown and described, except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tractor-trailer coupling comprising upper and lower fifth wheel parts adapted to be coupled and uncoupled by relative horizontal movement, electrical connector means comprising an arcuate contact member carried by one of said fifth wheel parts outside the area of their hearing contact and above the plane of such bearing contact, and a cooperating contact member carried by the other fifth wheel part, said contact members having substantially vertical surfaces which are brought into abutting engagement by movement of the fifthwheel parts into their coupled pivotal relation, the arcuate form of the one contact being concentric with the axis of said pivotal relation.

2. In the structure defined in claim 1, a horizontally extending hood disposed adjacent and above the arcuate contact memberoverhanging said member throughout its arcuate extent.

3. In the structure defined in claim 1, the lower ate contactmember being carriedby the lower fifth wheel part and the cooperating contact projecting from the edge of the upper fifth wheel part, and a rigid guard shoe projecting from the edge of said upper fifth wheel directly below said cooperating contact, said shoe extending from said upper fifth wheel at least as far as said contact member.

5. In a tractor-trailer coupling comprising upper and lower fifth wheel parts adapted to be coupled and. uncoupled by relative horizontal movement, electrical connector means comprising a plurality of arcuate contact strips carried by one of said fifth wheel parts outside the area of bearing contact of said parts upon each other, and a plurality of cooperating contact members carried by the other fifth wheel part, said arcuate strips being spaced apart vertically and all'disposed above the plane of bearing contact of the fifth'wheel parts, the cooperating contact mem-. 

